Wilderness
by thewanderingoutsider
Summary: In the beginning there was a girl and nature. Then those bearing arms drove the girl to the edge of creation. And at the edge of creation, there was a reckoning. #one shot/short story series, #writer's drabble, #response to a reader's request to world-build my one-shot Ember Light, #T for gore and some other themes
1. Slice

**~Slice~**

**This one-shot refers to an incident that took place a few months prior to my original one-shot "Ember Light". Sorry if it's quite lengthy, I had considered breaking it into parts, but I thought that would detract from the reading experience.**

* * *

I can't remember the last time I had an undisturbed slumber. Not even the deepest depth of sleep can shut out the aching grief.

It's between the hardness of the floor and the inescapable fact I'll die here, I'm sure. Even if it is with him…

Then…

…

I've never woken up to her before.

How long had she been here?

Her back set firmly against the wall of my cage, she's breathing heavily, deliberately, trying to maintain composure, or regain it.

I don't know how I always know, but something had happened.

Then the shining of the black metal pierced my eyes.

She was playing with a long knife. Dried lines of red ran down it, like exposed veins.

* * *

**_Not too long ago, a polluted dawn greeted the denizens of the capitol of Solaria…_**

A strange silence fell upon the defeated and victors alike.

"Is…is that really her?" the king breathed in disbelief, abandoning his struggle with the enemy soldiers intent on binding him.

Ever since the Emperor's conquest of the Magical Dimension had begun, rumours had been spreading about _her_. The false saviour, the traitor. There were some who claimed they had seen her in the thick of battle, or a castle's sacking. She was diseased with bloodlust and insanity, an utter creature from Hell. Laughing and screaming with delight as she tore the life out of countless victims, soldiers and civilians, defenders and defenceless. She seethed with madness, cruelty and mockery.

Very different to the silent and composed figure occupying the gateway.

The semi-naked queen of the fallen sun nation let her gaze fly and widen with dread. The figure began to move towards them, her footsteps reverberating across the grand courtyard before the main gates of the palace. The ebony cloak drifted behind her, revealing at times the padded mesh of blackened cloth and armour, rimmed with gold and silver. From the tightly arranged red-hair to her strident blue eyes, every part of her inspired awe.

At least to most wretches.

"I-it can't be." the queen breathed, her face still wet from unfinished grief. "You? You're–"

"Silence wench!" a burly man spat, grabbing her by the hair. The blonde fair-skinned woman cried as she was pulled upwards, her torn clothing revealing quite clearly her enemy's intents. Some of her ashamed people looked away to accord at least a little dignity.

The girl stopped moving in the middle of the stairs, tilting her head a little. She stared at the man's lustful expression, studied it almost.

A private clad in blackened steel came forward "My lady, we did not expect–"

"Well, I didn't think the depressed bitch would show up here and actually do something." the soldier was silenced by a more heavily adorned man who fully emerged from the palace, who was obviously the captain.

"Sir," the soldier spluttered "She's–"

"The Emperor's play-thing. Oh…" he looked jadedly at the confused soldier. "It's not like she's going to do me in is it? Besides, she's got nothing to say about anything most of the time, don't you?"

The girl kept on looking at the burly lieutenant holding the queen. Seemingly ignorant of the captain's snide comments.

"Why isn't she saying anything?" a frightened Solarian noble whispered.

"I don't understand. Isn't she a mass-murderer like they are?" another muttered.

"Who cares, they're all evil." someone hissed.

At the lack of a response the captain shook his head making a gesture and his lieutenants snickered. "Ah for crying out loud, you!" he glanced at the burly lieutenant. "Let her go, we can fuck her later when this dumb shit isn't around."

"Uh…okay?" with a dopey voice the man dropped the queen hard, she groaned a little.

"Luna!" the king called, starting to resist again.

"Uh…uh…I'm alright…Radius, hush." the queen pressed herself to the ground a little, it didn't take too much for her to realise that they were no longer the main event. Any earlier conflict between the formally divorced couple seemed irrelevant, especially since…

No she wasn't going to think about it.

"Just to let you know, I think we should make it clear that it was I and I alone that broke this miserable siege after nine long months! You don't deserve any more credit for things you don't do, you half-fairy!"

_"Half-fairy?" _Luna thought. What was that supposed to mean? The girl's powers had been stripped when she had been banished. All the nobles of the Magical Dimension had been there at the sentencing…

"A half-fairy who made herself mute!" one of his lieutenants added and they all laughed. The lower soldiers looked at one another, uncertain of what to make of the blatant disrespect.

Even then, the girl still seemed oblivious to their comments; her eyes were dancing elsewhere above them. Then, her eyes stopped wandering.

Luna's heart nearly stopped. So, she had been paying attention to what was around her, she seen it, but really it was quite obvious, but the queen had hoped that maybe…

Tears were starting to well in Luna's eyes again. The false saviour she saw now may be different to the rumours, but she was still certain that she was still far from a friend. She had hoped that the girl wouldn't defile…

"Why don't you just–" the captain's voice trailed off as the girl walked past him. Her eyes transfixed on high, and only after a few more steps, she stopped moving.

As she did so, the defeated Solarians were reminded once again of the horror hanging from the upper part of the palace, some of them began to weep openly once more.

Her golden hair still flapped in the wind, it was as if there were still some traces of life still clinging there, as if suggesting there was still a chance. But the laughter and care she had always known her by was long gone from the dulled hazel eyes.

The red-haired girl kept staring at the dead Crown Princess hanging above them, the noose still so tight around her neck.

"Oh yeah, her." the captain said rather casually, striding up behind her. "Killed herself in that grandiose fashion before most of our reinforcements got here. And thanks to her incentive to snuff her own life out, it ruined the morale of these snivelling wretches. We breached the city walls right up to the palace quite easily."

Luna forced herself to crawl around and look at the girl's reaction, she had to see it. The girl still didn't look at the prideful captain; it was as if she was waiting for something. Then, as her cloak flapped a little, Luna somehow managed to spy a folded bundle of paper in the girl's hand, and her fingers were closing very tightly around it.

"We managed to get wind of it and spread it to our people faster than theirs because of a turncoat we'd paid off…"

It was then the girl's face turned slightly to face him as he spoke. She made her glare very evident to the captain. As if…

The girl's realisation also snapped into Luna's mind. "NO!" the queen screamed loudly. Most of the captured Solarians were too far away from the entrance to hear the conversation, suddenly became transfixed on the scene. Radius was still too dense to figure out what it was that had been silently suggested, but he saw the anger washing over his queen, and that was enough to make him think about...

Luna lunged towards the captain "I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!" she shrieked, even as some of the black soldiers moved to hold her back, she struggled and screamed the same phrase over and over.

The captain regarded the grieving woman smugly. Then instinctively, he turned back around to face the red-haired girl, who was now fully facing him, had a very cold look about her.

"What?" he shrugged. "We were informed she'd been threatening to do it for months now. All she needed was the right push–"

The girl whipped out a long obsidian knife and decapitated the captain mid-sentence, slicing through his neck's bone, muscle and flesh with artistic violence. The plumes of blood gushed forth like spraying jets of fountain water.

The defeated Solarians could only let out gasps of horror as the man's head rolled down the white stairs, followed by streams of crimson. As the headless body thudded to the ground, his six lieutenants drew their swords, a primal intent to kill very evident in their eyes. The soldiers clad in black let go of the queen in their further confusion, and the rest tried to move away, and had no intention to intervene.

Instead of running or trying to rally her people in the chaos, Luna pressed herself to the ground, unable to move, unable to anticipate what was to happen next. She hadn't expected this at all.

"You think you can beat us with a knife, you idiot!" one lieutenant screamed, only to have his fighting arm and legs hewn away in response.

The others fared no better. She ran all of them through in swirls of scarlet and flying innards and flesh, with the gait of a dancer. After the first lieutenant she leapt, slashing one's face off, cleaving another into two halves. At the moments her sharp tool could not reach as quickly as she would have liked, she dodged their attacks with little effort, twisting and breaking their bones with frightening strength while she soared and sprung. The final drawings of the long knife either disembowelling or depriving the men of limbs. All were dead in less than a minute.

The blood of the slaughter splattered onto the queen. She should have passed out from the carnage, as did some of the captives, whose gentle lives had never been touched by such brutality. But something sustained her.

The girl was not done. Blood splashed on her darkened garb, she turned her eyes livid scanning the crowd, and found who she was looking for.

The turncoat if he were smarter should have not been so transfixed by the savage display. Some of the onlookers gasped at the speed the girl had been able to intercept his path when he finally decided to flee. Desperation and terror clearly on his face, he grabbed a pike from a less guarded soldier and tried to smash her with it. She shattered it with a mere flex of her left hand, locking his right wrist in a firm grip.

The man, unable to fight, back looked at his wrist helplessly, visualising the loss of his fighting hand. Instead, with her bare fingers she yanked his tongue out. He fell face first to the marble floor, gargling in a pool of his own blood, gone with shock.

She heaved exhaustedly, closing her eyes. The smell of death deep in her nostrils. And neither remaining captor nor captive felt it was within their power to have anything to say about it.

The girl turned again to the doors of the palace, sightlessly finding her way over the long winding entrails and pierced bowels scattered across the once spotless marble, the obsidian knife clenched in her hand, the bundle of paper gone.

Flexing off her cloak, she dropped it over the queen as she walked past. Reverent silence and dread filling the air in the night of day.

She sat on the final steps closest to the tall palace doors.

Her eyes still closed.

And thus she waited.

* * *

"You've killed someone, haven't you?"

I wanted to disappear into the corner as he started speaking, whenever he spoke to her. Naturally, she neither replied nor showed any outward sign of acknowledgement. She kept running her hand over the black metal.

"Don't think you can come to either of us and expect some kind of endorsement."

"Oritel, please…"

I had no more power, but I just knew, somewhere, she was just ready to explode, something was slipping.

I…I just knew…that didn't mean I cared about her at all…

There never has been a duty of care for a killer.

"Come on then. What are you waiting for?"

"Oritel!"

She stopped fiddling with the knife, breathing harder.

"You monster–"

She leapt up and clanged the long blade on my cage wall. It stopped both of us.

I saw her heaving with such effort, as if it was getting more and more difficult for her to breathe.

Something had happened.

Then she lashed around and glared at me instead. Something so deep and dark she was unable to hide in that split moment.

"NO! NO! Leave her alone!" he began to shout, grasping the bars. She ignored him, ramming my cell door open with a vehement clatter.

I…I could only think of the cruelty that must be in her eyes as her shadow swiftly fell over me.

But really, if I have to be truthful, she was simply aggrieved.

A rushed action, so ferocious, so angry, the way she dragged me from the corner. One hard pull towards herself by the chain on my ankle.

"Marion! You! Stop this!"

I can't stifle my hurt, even in the split second of reprieve before she starts pulling me again.

So much running through my head, the world about me whirling as she yanks me. I don't know what she's doing, what she wants from me, even as she now towed me by the shackles on my wrists.

I…I don't know how to...I can't remember…

Both of us have been guilty of thinking the absolute worst of her, but I never even really thought she could be this provoked…or maybe I hadn't been paying attention.

She was stronger in more ways than one.

She won't let go of the knife.

Cruel, unfeeling, painful. The unimaginative words running through my brain as she threw me at the solid crossed bars. Falling into myself, I can't see anything, I don't try to.

I can only think about trying to save whatever's left of me.

"Marion!" his voice breaking, I can hear it breaking. I can hear myself breaking. I can't fight back.

I've been long past the point of surrender. I want to believe I am past that point.

"Please…"

The things I'm saying, out of spite, out of weakness, but she couldn't care less. She didn't have to. I can't see the point she's trying to make, I can't connect anything. I'm so tired.

But I can't give up again when I already have. I wish I could.

There's something rattling over the bars, something clicking. I can only gasp and clench my teeth as she stretches my arms to latch the restraints onto whatever she wound around the bars of the cage wall.

It's painful. I can't move, I won't try to stand up, or bring my knees firmer to kneel. I'm so cold, I'm shivering with it.

All I could do was look at the man across from me. My terror reflected in his confused eyes. He was at last falling silent with dreaded anticipation, as was I, unable to prevent whatever happened next.

…I can hear her.

She's heaving for air, with agitation, with unsettledness. There are sounds of her feet pacing, like a lost beast, with strange excitement. As if she didn't know what to do next. Or was she formulating the design for a suitable…punishment of a kind?

I've never really thought about how much she could hate the two of us. What she would do to us with that kind of hate.

I wish I did. I wish I can anticipate it.

I don't know how to beg for mercy.

Her fingers press on my skull. Her fingers run through the thick locks of my messed, waist-length hair. Her fingers are burning.

Holding a stretch of my grimed auburn, she drew it out while taking a few steps to be in the angle of my eye.

Her black blade slick through it with a swift motion.

"N-no…" the denial escaping my lips, I couldn't stop it as I saw the strands flutter to the floor. "No…no…"

The blade's still sharp even with all of that caked blood.

She's not going to kill me.

The blade comes back again, my eyes already run away. More strands are cleaved away.

I can't look at either of them. I shut them out.

I can't ask her to stop. I don't know how to.

She's not going to kill me. It's just hair.

She wasn't quick about it.

After the first three or four slices, her pace slackened, quietened. She removed it slowly, carefully, savouring it all. As if the action of taking something away from me soothed her.

I can feel the loss of every inch of my hair. The very progression of it becoming shorter.

Make it stop. Make it hurry up. Finish it. Stop being so slow. Stop.

It was just hair.

It was just my hair…

* * *

"Marion." the man's voice had dropped to mere whispers.

The woman could not acknowledge him. Any sense of self-restraint she had tried to hold onto since the ordeal had begun, was long gone.

She wasn't just losing hair after all.

It was as if the woman had forgotten how to speak, and the only way she could convey her grief was through her sobbing. A wet mire of wretched moaning and whimpered howling.

The hair had become a measly length up to the shoulders. But the girl had lost interest in shaving away all of the auburn right to the skull. She flicked away a few of the loose strands from the quivering shoulders, and took the time to look upon her handiwork, unaffected by the woman's misery.

The girl's face had returned to being rather deadpan and solemn. It was as if she had at last acquired some overdue self-satisfaction. As little as it would last. She would make it last.

She kicked away the clumps of stripped hair surrounding his wife. She didn't bother to look his way and digest the horrified response he probably had. There was no need to.

The girl rubbed her nose a little, before at last sheathing the long knife at the back of her cloth belt. She stepped out and kicked the cage door back shut with a skilful manoeuvre of her foot.

Her hands deep in her pockets, the girl departed with almost a swagger. Neither displaying the intention of cleaning the mess, or indicating how long the woman would remain strung up on the cage wall.

The thick metal door to the room ground shut behind her.

He stayed at the edge of his cage and tried to comfort the woman, tried to reach out to her, who wept bitterly, long after the red-haired girl left. Regardless she couldn't hear him very well.

And even so, it wasn't as if she would listen to him now.

* * *

**_Author's notes:_**_ I decided to experiment with writing some parts from a first person perspective in the present tense, without sounding too much like myself and more like I imagine the character would sound. It's very hard because I tend to write from an intelligent point of view, as well as having a habit of being overly descriptive and making my main characters very intellectual. It can be a problem sometimes when you're trying to create diversity with first person viewpoints, but I'll just keep on working on it._

_Coincidentally, writing fighting action and violence is not my forte._

_I also like trying to create a lot of symbolism and underlying meaning in my pieces. Let me know if you can pick anything up in a review!_

**_Further notes: _**_**A "cheat" summary if you are somewhat confused with the plot:** Officially Solaria had fallen in a matter of two days, but the capitol was the last bastion of the native people for some time, even as the rest of the planet fell under the Emperor's control. The trapped Solarians successfully held out against a nine month siege, a painful and costly affair for both sides. But when Crown Princess Stella "committed suicide" by throwing herself from a palace window, hanging herself for all of her people to see, the Solarian forces lost hope and were easily overrun. Seemingly unable to reconcile with the events or find guidance, the red-haired girl turns to means of violence to vent her stifled frustration, both in Solaria, and later within the small prison of which she is jailer._


	2. Expectations

**~Expectations~**

**I hope everyone has enjoyed reading so far. In terms of timeline, this short story takes place perhaps a few weeks after the complete fall of Solaria, so it's still before the time of my original one-shot "Ember Light". This is even longer than "Slice" and was very difficult to write as a result. Whelp. #This is the second edit with some minor changes.**

* * *

**Lynphea, Central Palace, Chief Courtroom…**

Krystal never thought she would actually be frightened to return to Magix, to Alfea. No, she was terrified. She never wanted to leave her home planet again, and she was quite prepared to fight against any suggestion of leaving.

Though it was certain she needn't worry about that.

Even as she stood in the shadow of the thrones, she was still trembling from the shock of what just happened a few moments earlier. Well, it felt like a few moments, it was actually a day ago. But the only thing that mattered to her was she never wanted to experience those moments ever again.

Couldn't anyone see she was scared? Didn't anyone understand she couldn't lead a nation yet, or fight a war? She was only in her first year of college for crying out loud. And all she could hear was death on everyone's lips.

Death.

She didn't want to die, she didn't anyone else to die either, but _she _didn't want to die most of all.

She didn't want to be hated either.

She didn't want to be alone.

It was the first time in her life she wished so hard she was _not_ the Crown Princess of Lynphea.

The courtroom full of fear-driven arguments wasn't helping either. She was so close to giving into the urge to break down in front of everyone.

But she knew she couldn't.

Her mother had slapped her repeatedly before they entered the court room, in response to her apparent inability to stop whimpering. She couldn't stop sobbing. Her mother had always been stern but never this desperately violent.

_"If your father was still alive, he would be utterly ashamed of you!" the queen hissed angrily, throwing aside her burly brother's protests. "You are the Crown Princess! The heir to our territories and the sole bearer of our future! If you crumble before everyone in our darkest hour, our entire nation will follow! Don't you dare cry in front of me! I didn't raise a coward! Stop crying!"_

That much had been proven with the final defeat of Solaria. The details of the final collapse of the sun nation's capitol had spread like wildfire. Krystal still hadn't seen the leaked footage, but the things she had heard about it so far…

And the only other thing running through the princess' head was if her mother had meant everything she had said. Krystal, still shivering, knew it was such a childish thing to think about. Her realm was on the brink of annihilation or isolation, maybe even both, and all she could think about was if her mother actually really loved her.

Her eyes quickly found the queen in the seething mass, literally screaming into the face of another quarrelling noble. Strain and exhaustion too evident on the elder woman's face.

And death was whispered everywhere, shouted everywhere around her.

Krystal didn't want to deal with any of it anymore. No one cared about how she felt about the whole thing anyway. So she should just…

That was when the Crown Princess felt a hand wrap gently around hers. She swivelled to face the young woman responsible, whose jade-eyed steadfast complexion almost instantly calmed her.

"F-Flora." she breathed.

After a few seconds of appearing to assess the tumult, Flora leaned a little closer and simply whispered, "Follow my lead. Okay?" and she spoke with such sweetness, that even as she let go and took a few steps forward, Krystal could not help but believe in her.

"Lynpheans!" she declared. "Lynpheans! There is no need to war amongst ourselves for choosing the way of peace."

Some bickering remained and very doubtful looks were stamped on many of the assembly's faces. But the chaos as a whole toned down at the mere sound of her voice. Even if she hadn't convinced everyone, the Crown Princess marvelled at the command she carried.

At length, an older official responded quite skeptically "And how exactly do you propose we respond to this blatant aggression?! It's obvious we don't want to provoke any hostility, but they just–"

"I'm certain that the Crown Princess can share her insights as to why was should not remain in fear of the hostility affronting us, or the Emperor's motives." the guardian fairy cut in respectfully.

_"What?!"_ Krystal screeched internally. Why did she have to now notice the seemingly thousands of eyes that had now come to rest on her? Did Flora really think that they would even believe this evidently scared and clueless girl that…

_"Just follow my lead."_

Gulping, she took a few nervous steps forward, desperately trying to think…

No.

No, she wasn't going to think about it planning out a last second speech. Whatever came to her head first…

"Um…well." Krystal fidgeted with her fingers "I…I can't say t-that I…I can see through the Emperor's motives, or um, really assure you they are free of consequences…but I know first-hand about the danger that lies a-around us, and before us in the days to come. I mean, s-someone just tried to t-take my life, and k-killed my o-older brothers and cousins w-who were in the line of succession. The…t-the assassins claimed that they were acting in the interests of divine justice. They c-claimed they h-had been called to punish our nation for our…our…our d-decision…" the Crown Princess gulped hard, forcing back her conflicted and confused feelings "O-our d-decision to open our d-doors and bend the knee to the Emperor."

Krystal softly agitated as she saw various faces around the court regarding her sadly, almost despairingly in her green eyes. But the heroine was amongst them as well, and she continued to wordlessly encourage her onward. Her confidence sustained by Flora's serene and reassuring gaze, Krystal took one last deep breath before continuing.

"B-but I don't think that we s-should be intimidated by t-those who were not…willing to make the decisions we have. There is no reason for us to feel worse about ourselves for choosing the way of peace. I-if they want to be angry about it, t-then so be it. I-if they want war, then let them have it. And…and the Emperor has shown he is willing to negotiate as long as we comply with his terms…that aren't exactly…um…unreasonable. And so far, the Emperor, unlike those who continue to resist him violently, has shown no aggression towards our people after our peaceful compliances…and I've heard that he's even let our kin, trapped in other war-torn worlds, to return to Lynphea and our territories free from harm. But…but, um, what I'm trying to say is that especially in these most uncertain of t-times, I…I think that the last thing we should do is tear one another apart. As long as we choose the way of peace, as our ancestors have, we will continue to…live, without fail..."

As she trailed off, Krystal stared at the floor, imagining the sweat running off her body. She was afraid to say anything else. Her voice was breaking from surging uncertainty and a lack of confidence in her own words. Not to mention that was probably the worst motivational speech in recorded history.

"Our Crown Princess is right." the pink haired eye's shot up to look at a wizened old noble. "We have done nothing in the spirit of violence. As our ancestors were protected by their non-lethal ways, so to shall we and future generations."

An aura of calm trickled into the room, and while there were still some murmurs of argument, it wasn't as desperate as before. Soon the assembly's attentiveness to the youth turned amongst themselves, but Krystal at this point was thankful for the lack of attention.

"T-thank you." she murmured coming closer to Flora.

"No your highness." the guardian fairy bowed. "Thank you."

Krystal could not help but forget her fears again and let her lips curve upwards. Flora, in just a couple of years, had gone from being the familiar lover of a childhood friend, to an idol she absolutely admired and adored. Someone she could depend on to be strong as everything else was far too unreliable.

"Lady Protectress Flora." the queen approached the pair with her usual retinue of advisers and close relatives, giving the slightest of nods to Krystal. "A word with you please. And the Crown Princess as well. I believe it is time to draw up plans to further secure the safety of our people. The Council of Ancients await us."

Flora curtsied slightly, and then gestured in the Crown Princess' direction.

"After you, your highness."

* * *

**Later that evening...**

Krystal happily sunk her bare feet into the soft grass, savouring the air around her. With the tribulations of court life complete, she could not help but be extremely content.

It wasn't difficult to convince Flora to free themselves from their royal attire and spend a quiet evening in the lush gardens of the palace. The guardian fairy always cooperated with her wishes, and Krystal always seemed to forget that as Lady Protectress, one of Flora's main duties was to protect the heir to the Lynphean throne. She would be by her side constantly, until her last breath.

She had even convinced the queen to let the Crown Princess stay at the royal family's secluded summer keep. It would allow a lot of time for healing...

The Crown Princess began fingering her brother's amulet again. The next two weeks she had to endure before she could leave the central palace could not end soon enough.

Technically speaking, her family wasn't really sovereign anymore; but it seemed they still could be regarded in that way to their own people. And then when she really thought about it, Krystal mused that her family could still afford to call themselves kings and queens, the Emperor was higher up the power ladder in any case.

Sighing a little, Krystal kept looking upwards into the inner arches of the old oak tree spread above her. There was nothing else to really talk about, after all.

"When do you think the Emperor will start demanding we pay tribute?"

"I'm afraid I can't say your highness. But as long as we cooperate with his wishes, I am certain Lynphea will not come to harm. As you said earlier in the court room, he has shown himself to be a reasonable man when approached diplomatically." Flora kept staring into thin air, almost with rehearsed composure.

Krystal's face elongated a little. "Huh, I…only said the first thing that came to my head with that one. But still…do you think we did the right thing by submitting to the Emperor without a fight?"

Flora paused, stroking her face a little, then moved closer to the lying Crown Princess. "I think we've all passed the point where we decide what's right and what's wrong. We're just trying to survive the best way we can." she studied Krystal's expression. "I'm sorry. Did you think that you would hear a happier and blissful response?"

"Uhh…" the Crown Princess started to feel uncomfortable inside. "No?"

The guardian fairy shook her head rising up. "Oh princess. You've still got so much to learn, I'm sure you'll pick up quickly in the days to come."

"I…I don't know." Krystal couldn't seem to find any other words that acutely described her tumult of unresolved feelings and insecurities.

But Flora seemed to understand. "It's not easy, I know your highness, I–"

"Please, stop the formalities!" the rose-hair huffed. "You can still call me Krystal, Flora. You…you've saved my life so many times, and honestly? It would make me feel so much better if I can be n-normal at least around one person. I mean…we are friends…right?"

The guardian fairy let a small smile crawl onto her face. She pulled the Crown Princess up. "Of course. But that won't stop me from helping you become the leader you have to be."

"I guess I could learn a lot from you!" Krystal added somewhat excitedly, happy to change the pace of the conversation as the pair started to wander the garden grounds.

"Oh Krystal. I'm just a defender of the realm. I'll be there when you need me to be, but I'm far from a great mentor."

"Stop being so modest Flora. What do you call that thing you pulled off in the court room earlier?!"

Flora exhaled amusedly. "Alright then. What should your mentor teach you?"

"Well, obviously I want to know how my mentor has become such a stoic pillar of leadership."

At that statement Flora nearly burst out laughing, but Krystal's determined expression seemed to suggest otherwise. She sobered quickly and reflected on an answer. "It wasn't easy. I…I've always been a very quiet individual. I never dreamed of being in a powerful situation like this." Flora confessed reverently.

"As if! You don't have to be so modest!" the Crown Princess gave an unrefined snort.

"I…I'm quite serious Krystal. I've never wanted to be this kind of person; who has to fight and make all of these hard decisions. All I ever wanted was to nurse a deep connection with nature. And maybe…" Flora sighed, abandoning that thought. "Yeah. I think you know what I mean."

"Then why are you so good at it?"

"Because I have to be." Flora watched some leaves flutter in the breeze, and regarded them rather sadly.

And that was when Krystal thought her Lady Protectress was probably thinking about…_her_.

"Wasn't she your leader once?" the young princess finally asked.

Flora turned to her again "Hmmm?"

"The…the false saviour." Krystal's voice became somewhat timid as the guardian fairy's face fell. Blushing with embarrassment, she stuttered "I-I'm sorry I couldn't help it! I was just wondering–"

"Yes." Flora responded, and then progressively turned unsettled.

"Well, what was she like…before…you know…"

"Why are you asking me this Krystal?" Flora cut in, hurt in her voice.

Krystal's face twitched a little, but she continued speaking. "Well, since we're now under the rule of the Emperor, don't you think you'll be seeing her again soon?"

Flora stopped walking and stared at the Crown Princess very hard. "I…I hadn't really thought about it. That's actually…quite a valid question…"

"What will you do if you see her?"

"I…" Flora could feel her face itching with uncertainty. Normally she knew she would succumb to grief, she should...

_"She'll be a queen…I know it…"_

But her tears ran dry quite a while ago.

"Accord her the honour and respect that her position dictates." the guardian fairy said finally, resting her hands at the edge of a fountain. "We have both moved on our separate ways and have our own respective duties. I'm sure that only she, but…our Emperor understands the need for distance."

Krystal felt like she could prod for more information, but with those words she started to feel as if she was coming to an understanding why Flora was Lynphea's Lady Protectress. They both looked at the gushing water, contending with their own private thoughts.

Just one last thing…

"Flora?" the guardian fairy didn't answer. "I…I won't ask again but, why did your former leader become the false saviour?"

The world about them silenced as what sunlight remained faded to twilight.

"Because people…people do horrible things when they're frightened of…things they don't want to understand or accept." Flora answered quietly, looking at her rippled reflection. "Horrible things."

Krystal wasn't certain if Flora was referring to the false saviour, everyone else, or herself.

* * *

**Magix, Alfea, Main Office, two days later…**

"Who are you?"

In her solitude, the former headmistress of Alfea continued to study the video feed and stilled images. The grisly content however, affected her mind little. She had too many things to worry about.

Any means of formal education dissolved as a state of emergency had been initiated…indefinitely. All students, any and every half-witted apprentice that could barely handle lethal magic, had been made into military personnel almost overnight. There were some who had protested against this, but the truth was no one had a choice. Not only did Magix need some kind of defence…most didn't even have off-world homes to return to, not if they wanted to be free of the Emperor's control.

And that was only scratching the surface of things. She'd surprised almost everyone by being one of the first people to turn Alfea into a military base. Years as a headmistress had not dimmed her expertise as a military strategist. She knew that politicking nobles and influentials would try and direct the process of battle. But if they were going to fight to Emperor…and win, the more serious military and security decisions had to be made by an independent body free from all of that speculative rubbish.

And she knew that with all of the refugees and displaced people running to Magix, the last realm free of the Emperor's influence, there was bound to be social problems and a lot of blame running around. But even she didn't anticipate some things…the aged woman swallowed another shot of alcohol.

So much for retirement. And to once more be made a general to relentlessly pursue war at her age…though it couldn't really be called war anymore.

Things had gotten far out of hand way too quickly. And amongst the problems were many questions that had no answers.

Not any easy ones…

The doors flung open, a familiar battle-hardened veteran rushed in.

"Faragonda! We…why are you watching that again?! What else is there to see?!" the grizzled warrior flipped the screen off.

"Hagen!"

"How can you spend your time looking at such things when there are battles to coordinate–"

Faragonda soured dismissively "I think you know very well that I am only concerned with strengthening what forces we can muster around Magix, as well as focus on training and disciplining them properly." and she began arranging things on her desk.

His beard seeming to frizzle with rage, Hagen let his hands bang on the desk. The old woman glared at him.

"Don't play coy with me! How can you just concern yourself with domestic affairs?"

"Because if we do not resolve these domestic affairs, we will be at war with ourselves!" Faragonda hissed, Hagen opened his mouth to protest but she wouldn't let him. "The distress the misery of the populace is causing has already affected many of our stu… soldiers. And is also hampering our recruitment agenda. We need to–"

"But their rage is understandable. I can't believe that Flora of all people would be the one out of all of them to break any notion of unity!"

"Flora is only doing what she thinks is the safest for the people directly underneath her care. We cannot be–"

"That is no excuse Faragonda!" Hagen roared.

"Are you seriously being this pig-headed?! It's not a secret that unlike the other realms, Lynphea has prized ways of peace and culture far above the need for a cohesive military! If they declared war openly against the Emperor, they never would have stood a chance!"

"They could have chosen another course of action!" Hagen paced the office, staring the old woman down. "And we would have supported them; just as we have supported the kingdom of Melody."

"I did not agree with that decision! And even more so with their atrocious military stratagems!"

"They are making a stand Faragonda! They know the odds are against them, but they are making a stand! And that is far more important!"

"Is it Hagen? Risking all of those lives for a mere ruse? We've already seen the utter carnage that has taken place as a result of trying to spearhead an assault on the Emperor's forces head on and–"

"I know!" the warrior broke in, conceding. "If we had co-ordinated the attacks in the other principle realms better and with less arrogance, then–"

"Hagen, adjusting the mere co-ordination of a full frontal assault would not have changed anything. The Emperor's armies are far too sophisticated and superior in that regard. Not to mention the sheer number of his forces! And we still don't really know his true intentions! I mean, aren't you concerned we didn't even know that the Emperor and his vast army of billions existed until four years ago?! How could he hide forces like that and–"

"That doesn't matter Faragonda! He attacked us first; it is our right to fight him back! And that is why you must have faith that the action will work Faragonda!" the old woman simply shook her head.

"Now is not the time to worry about making war, Hagen, because that strategy won't work against the Emperor, not unless we have a death wish. We need to focus on ensuring that we survive this…and–"

"Why don't you tell that to Saladin and his grandson Helia?"

Faragonda rubbed her temples "Hagen…"

"Or have you forgotten who it was that ripped the life out of the two of them?! Who caused Red Fountain to fall?"

"Don't exaggerate things. Red Fountain did not fall by her hand, both of them died on Eraklyon. The school was simply bought by a…private group just after Saladin perished and neither did we or the Magix government have anything to really say about the matter…And I don't think their deaths were her intention, they merely got caught in the line of fire."

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!"

"It's beside the point Hagen! We need to–"

"She is the enemy, she always has been Faragonda! And the key to defeating the Emperor is to take her out of the picture!"

"And how is making Melody believe that by falsely surrendering–"

"Stop trying to leer away from the truth Faragonda!" Hagen roared.

"What truth?! We don't know the first thing about our supposed enemy Hagen, now is the time to start finding out!"

"You weren't this resistant when the Royal Conclave convicted her of treason." the old warrior ignored her last statement.

"Then I made a mistake!" Faragonda's voice started rising dangerously. "We all did! If we hadn't done that then none of this would be happening!"

Hagen was unprepared for the old woman's ferocity, as well as her statement. Why did she always have to make things so complicated? He sighed, "I'm too old for this."

"So am I!" the old woman snapped before the sword master could really react. "If you don't have any other advice I suggest you leave and make yourself useful elsewhere!"

"Faragonda…"

"Just leave! I can't deal with this kind of problem right now! Just…go!"

Faragonda wiped her eyes as he left with little resistance. She wasn't becoming emotional, no not at all; her eyes were just watering out of frustration.

"This is very unlike you, you know. Weren't you the one who told me that once one turns into a bad apple, they never turn back?" a familiar witch stepped gracefully out of the deepening shadows of the room.

Faragonda looked at her agitatedly, "I thought you told me you closed down Cloud Tower and were going to make a run for it."

"I did? Whoops."

Her glasses almost rattling, the old woman looked away and snapped up some paper. "You're never this chirpy. I hope you've come for a better reason than to gloat!"

"Well you have to admit in all fairness, she's a lot more interesting when she's _not_ a fairy." Griffin helped herself to a chair.

"They called her a half-fairy."

"What? You've watched the footage so many times that you actually memorised that?"

"And you've obviously seen it enough times to know what I'm talking about." absently, Faragonda switched on the projector once again and the images and video resumed playing.

"Under normal circumstances, none of us should even know this…truth." Griffin watched the footage.

"The Emperor wants us to know. He's letting us find these things out."

"So it's true then, our ability to supposedly hack into his imperial data feeds is obviously serving his interests. And let me guess, you haven't even told Hagen this, let alone the public, in an attempt to contain mass hysteria."

"The Emperor's technology is far too superior to anything I've seen. Just look at these diagnostics." ignoring Griffin's stab and with a few clicks, Faragonda brought up an image of a very complicated looking diagram showing the circuitry of some salvaged hardware. "It would take decades to decode this on our own resources and knowledge."

"Centuries more like. But why? What is he trying to prove to us?" the witch questioned.

"I don't know. He's already established that he is the superior power. Not to mention he could have attacked Magix by now and would have won easily."

"You don't need to prove to me how brilliant and overbearing our adversary is Faragonda. Stop regurgitating the obvious. What you're trying to say is that the only real key to understanding the Emperor is…her."

Faragonda sighed and sunk into her chair once more. "She's always at the centre of it all. It's like all of creation revolves around her."

"Let's deconstruct that statement."

Faragonda scowled while her counterpart allowed a stifled laugh to escape.

"I suppose it's pointless to tell you that none of this is a laughing matter." she sighed opening a side drawer and uncorking another bottle of Solarian vodka.

"Don't blame me." Griffin wiggled a hand, shifting the projector screen so she could help herself to the alcohol as well. "She's really gotten under your skin and it shows, really shows. Do you blame yourself for doing it to her? Making her into what she is?"

"I did not make that final decision. I had nothing to do with it!" the old woman grated.

"Denial. Same thing." Griffin rolled her eyes and took a sip, at which her eyes palpitated a little. "Bloody hell is this what drinking a star's like?"

"If you were drinking a star, wouldn't its light have killed you off already?"

"Then a star minus the light elements." Griffin said sarcastically.

"Then it's not a star."

"Aren't you a little old for this backtalk Faragonda?"

"A pity you've only gotten into the drink as the universe is ending." the old woman sniffed, resting on her head on a free hand and swallowed a shot.

Griffin just looked at her. "You've never been hilarious and that won't change now. But speaking of overdramatised tangents, how could you just sit by and let them send her to the edge of creation. We didn't even go to that extreme with Baltor, let alone the Ancestral Witches."

"I thought you said you didn't want to regurgitate the obvious."

"Don't be daft Faragonda."

"What is wrong with you?" the light counterpart snapped.

"I'm asking you." the dark witch continued sipping her alcohol. "You're worried about what happened to her at the edge of creation. I guess anyone would be. But it's affecting you more than it should."

Faragonda shook her head; she might as well cut to the point. "No one who is ever banished to the fringes of creation survives Griffin, and I mean no one! If they're sent there, they're sent to die!"

"What's that supposed to mean? Die? I've heard that the edge of creation is a bleak place, and obviously if you're branded a traitor and exiled you're expected to die there."

"I…I mean they die immediately! As soon as they're dropped there! They shouldn't survive a few seconds there at all!"

Griffin raised her eyebrows. "And you know this because…"

Faragonda began pacing. "I read the treatise of the wielders of First Magic and–"

"You broke into the Magix sanctum archives? You didn't even do that when we fought the Ancestral Witches." watching Faragonda slowly descend into a guarded silence, something clicked in the dark witch's mind. "Since the time of First Magic, how many people have been sent there? How many Faragonda?"

"Three."

"And how many were traitors?"

"Griffin…"

"How many?"

"…None…according to the later chapters of the treatise they were all ill-fated explorers."

"Then if you knew that, why would you look the other way?" the dark witch's eyes narrowed. "Why would you suggest it as a punishment?"

Faragonda looked at her. "Saladin proposed we–"

"Don't shift the blame on the dead. They can't defend themselves. So why? You do realise you probably played up everyone's paranoia about her."

"Oritel and Marion rejected her the first moment they laid their eyes on her after she freed them. There had to be something both of them saw that–"

"Really? That's it? That's your reason?"

"They were heroes and our leaders once Griffin!"

"Who had spent the better part of two decades stuck as statues! Come now Faragonda, how could you be so naïve? Trusting their judgement over your own, you who effectively trained and raised her in some ways?!"

"No! I…I only conceded to the decision because…there was no time to prove…there was too much public opinion riding against her…so I decided…I decided that I could look the other way on this because I knew…She had already started expressing an apathy towards protecting the universe the last time I...it would put have put her out of her misery." after struggling with words, the white-haired woman pleaded "Don't…don't tell Hagen."

Griffin said nothing, her face obscuring. She put the glass back on Faragonda's desk.

"You know Faragonda, people like me can be expected to do all sorts of nasty things. And I won't pretend that I hardly respect any moral constraints. But sometimes, I really wonder who's more messed up out of the two of us." Griffin raised an eyebrow as she studied Faragonda's stifled reactions. "Then again, you've always been a witch through and through, even if you can't admit it to yourself."

The light witch regarded the darker one rather angrily. But before she could retort the projector fizzled with an incoming message.

"H-hello? _*bzztk*_ Someone! Anyone! Can anyone– _*bzztk*_ Can you– _*bzztk*_ General Faragonda?!"

Faragonda began tapping the controls. "W-who is this?! You're communicating from a military-grade communication feed that is uncertified on this channel. Who is this?!" after a few more adjustments, a holographic figure blurred into view.

"Thank you for stabilizing the feed General Faragonda. Admiral Hoc of Melody's fleet…or what's–"

"How did you gain access to this channel? This is a highly restricted and private line!"

"Well, Lord Hagen...General, we don't have much time. Lord Hagen told me that you were the one to contact to open a small window in Magix's defences. We–"

"Protocols need to be followed Admiral, I can't just–"

"What's the state of your home planet Melody, Admiral." Griffin cut in from behind. "No. Don't mind trying to figure out who I am, just tell us."

Faragonda could only close her eyes to try and maintain composure as the admiral confirmed the failed operation.

* * *

**Melody, Outskirts of the Harmonious Nation's capitol, on the same day…**

"Crown Princess! You must leave her! There's nothing we can do!"

The panicking guards did their best to try to tear away the golden haired youth clutching the body. All of them fearing that the archway stretched above them would give way at any moment, if they did not hurry.

Rumbling all over the place, fire and petrified screams tore through the air. The heavens above marred with literally thousands of swivelling fighter-planes and long black battleships, dispersing a rain of bullet hail and thick cannon beams that ripped across the sprawling metropolis, felling tall structures, monuments and homes in their wake. And the devastation spread in all directions across the stretch of the entire planet.

Melody was lost. It's once serene, immaculate landscape that had inspired many an artist, now forever soiled with the filth of war.

"M-mother why? W-why? How could you do this?" she sobbed, clinging to the oozing corpse.

A small company of battered palace vanguard ran through the war haze. "Gods above!" one cried. "You're still here?"

"We were shot down! I don't know if we can make it off-world at all! The main body of the fleet's already fled to Magix!"

"Shit! Then where's the queen?! We…SHIT!" the first of the vanguard struck her own face at the miserable sight of the crushed and wringing carcass.

"She…she got caught in the wreckage…we tried pulling her out, she didn't stand a chance." a dirty regular said bitterly.

"Gods, the king and the inner court were gone in the first wave. Now the queen too? Heaven have mercy!" one of the palace guards wept.

"Wait they're all dead?!"

"What were we thinking?" the previous question going unconfirmed as another broke in. "We've never been great at fighting wars…"

The tattered group looked at the last soldier who spoke angrily, especially the palace vanguard. The last thing they needed now was despair. The group then tried their best to ignore the mourning howls of the young princess as they plotted their next move.

Suddenly from the other direction, a scout dashed towards them.

"Our message got through! A cruiser has managed to slip through the battlelines! It will be here in a matter of minutes!" he sputtered breathlessly.

"Alright!" the female vanguard leader shoved through the soldiers before the information sinked in. The quicker they moved did the better. "Crown Princess Galatea! There will be time to mourn later! For now, we must regroup with our remaining forces in Magix!"

Galatea did not move, in fact she hugged the corpse closer to herself, before swallowing hard and letting go a little. "I…I didn't agree to this."

The soldiers looked at one another worriedly, then a palace guard came forward and spoke "Your highness, with all due respect the…decision was voted for across all sectors of government, in the best interests of our people." the soldier felt the irony stinging in his mouth as he spoke. "And every member of the royal family agreed–"

"I DIDN'T AGREE TO THIS!" Galatea repeated screaming through her tears, throwing wild gestures at the destruction happening around them. "I DIDN'T AGREE TO ANY OF THIS!"

The female vanguard shook her head agitatedly. They didn't have time for the antics of a high-bred brat. She grabbed the princess by the shoulder. "It doesn't matter anymore. They're all dead and you're the queen now! Your people need you to live so that our nation outlives this calamity! You have to follow in your parent's plans so that we can–"

"No! I-I won't make the same mistakes my parents did!" Galatea threw her hand away. "I won't abandon them here! If we're leaving, we're going back to the palace and getting my family's bodies as well! I-I won't have them defiled!"

"ARE YOU MAD?!" the female vanguard roared, the second palace warrior pushed her aside.

"Crown Princess Galatea," he soothed "The remaining soldiers will retrieve your family's bodies and accord the funeral rites, we–"

"W-what do you mean the remaining soldiers?" the silver-eyed royal sniffed, as the rest of the group became aware of the machinated hum of a transport closing in on them. "I-If I have to leave then–"

"The transport is here!"

"Gods above!" the female vanguard cursed simultaneously with the announcement. "You're obviously more important and we don't have time to save everyone! You have to go!"

"NO! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME ABANDON OUR PEOPLE! NO! LET ME GO!" Galatea thrashed angrily as the two palace vanguard pulled her away from her dead mother and towards the cruiser. Her magic was too spent to fly away from them and make her point.

"You can do such heroics later! Right now we need to survive! Our people's future needs to survive! And that's you!" the female vanguard hissed. Then she turned a little to the rest of the group as they walked away. "All of you! Do whatever you can to cause a distraction so the Crown Princess can escape!"

"NO! I WON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE DIE FOR ME!" Galatea struggled.

"There's a squad of jet-fighters closing in on our location! I think they've seen us!" the scout yelled from the top of the archway.

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" the female vanguard roared louder at the dazed group. "GO!" at that shout the soldiers began to scramble away, even if some of them had no idea what to do.

"Hold her! Make sure she gets to Magix!" the female vanguard continued as she and the other palace soldier threw Galatea unceremoniously into the back cockpit area where two soldiers were waiting.

"NO! STOP!" the princess cried. Galatea banged on the floor helplessly, still trying to leave the cruiser even as the two soldiers pinned her down. "I WON'T HAVE YOU ALL DIE FOR ME!"

"Take off!" the female vanguard ignored her. Even as the other palace guard ran off to a fighting position, it was she of all people that got caught in the moment and became transfixed on the cruiser humming into lift-off. She watched their last hope finally leave their forsaken world, but that was when she noticed the sky silently darkening more than usual.

The female vanguard whipped her face upwards to see the steeled belly of a battleship right above them. She didn't really have time to think before…

Galatea's eyes widened with further horror as the battleship fired a cannon beam and annihilated the soldiers and the area where she had only been moments before. She didn't even have time to scream with denial, tumbling away from the windowed door when the pilot manoeuvred desperately to not get caught in the line of fire.

"W-what have we done?" the princess whispered choking as the two soldiers recovered themselves and tried to help her up. But she pushed them away and rushed back to the windowed door, only to be greeted by a spinning object that ripped clean through the lower hull of the cruiser.

"What?! All four engines have been taken out by some kind of projectile! What's sharp enough to even do that?!" the pilot shrieked as the emergency lights within the cockpit flashed red, and the cruiser began to whirl even further out of control.

Suddenly a loud thud clanged on the outside of the vehicle. The blackened figure responsible ripped the windowed door clean off, eerily obscured by the debris and broken fumes emanated by the crashing ship.

And the last thing Galatea clearly remembered seeing as she spiralled into ember darkness were two distant blue eyes.

* * *

**Magix, somewhere in Magix City, four days later…**

Nova still couldn't believe she'd been sent on such a stupid errand. She hated coming into Magix city nowadays. The entire megalopolis had become a dismal, brewing cauldron.

"Traitors!"

"Cowards!"

The orange-haired youngster shuddered at the scene, watching debris and paint fly from her corner of an alleyway. Day and night, protestors assaulted the Lynphean embassy. Hate-graffiti, smashed glass and chipped bricks bore testament to the disgruntled's labour. She wasn't even sure if anyone was actually in there anymore. And Nova would know; those angry people looked as though they were ready to kill…and they wouldn't be very discreet about declaring it.

Such was the case across Magix City. Homes, local business, any structure perceived to be of Lynphean ownership had been mercilessly assaulted. Nova still wasn't sure when the vehement intolerance against such a peaceful nature-loving race had begun, but since it had, she hadn't actually heard anything happening to…living Lynpheans.

It was as though the entire race had vanished into thin air. They couldn't have all fled simultaneously; it was quite improbable that all of the now unpopular race would have adopted the same reaction to the violence. Surely people weren't so stupid as to think every single Lynphean had shared in the decision-making process of their leaders. And apart from that, passage in and out of the city was being carefully monitored, and without the right clearances, close to impossible.

Not to mention that the authorities were indifferent to the blatant rudeness. She'd even heard rumours that the local government was even planning to _round up_ anyLynpheans that still were in the vicinity of Magix and corral them to a _protection camp_.

To top it all off, the apparent justification for all of this discrimination was merely because Lynphea had peacefully surrendered to the Emperor! She'd heard the violence in which the god of war had mowed down his enemies. However that wasn't a satisfying reason for her, there had to be another motive behind this flippant prejudice.

But Nova really didn't have the time to investigate…yet. And she had other matters to take care of, if she didn't want to end up on the streets with these vagrants.

That thought brought her back to her earlier discontent as she resumed sneaking about the streets to her destination. She knew that she couldn't be picky with the tasks she would be regulated, it was wartime after all. Yet surely she wasn't such a failed fairy she'd be regulated to a messenger role! For crying out loud, she had been born into the information brokering business! She was far more useful sifting through data: separating truth, lies and speculation than chasing after people.

Just a few hours ago she'd been decoding a block of intercepted intel. She was quite pleased at how great she'd become at actually cracking codes and firewalls to access the prized intel behind such defences, even if it was only information the Emperor had disclosed to his public. But at the rate she was going, she would probably become good enough to break even their high-tier military-grade mainframes.

Not even that Guardian Fairy of Technology could…

Grumbling, Nova looked about for a distraction to be mad at; then something caught her eye. She saw a group of people leaving offerings and keepsakes at a shrine commonly found on the planet of Melody…or at least used to.

She didn't spend too long thinking about it and scurried away. Nova hadn't experienced any actual battle. Not yet, hopefully never, and thankfully it wasn't her place to start questioning the authorities above her.

Not that the person she had been sent to fetch had any sense of authority. At least not anymore…

With everything swimming in her head, Nova had promptly forgotten that the other reason she had been dreading the task was because she had to deal with…this particular guardian fairy. The only guardian fairy that remained in Magix. Crown Princess Stella was dead, Flora of the 5th Moon of Marigold had effectively defected, and the other two were presumed missing, captured or dead.

Most likely dead.

Because of that, Faragonda had insisted that someone quite familiar to said person should fetch her. And despite her status as a far-off acquaintance, Nova was one of the closest people they had now. It was really sad.

_"Well. Here goes nothing."_

At the door to the small apartment, instinctively, Nova tried the handle and was surprised to find it unlocked. That probably wasn't a good sign. Feeling a cold shiver trickle down her spine, and against her better judgement, she entered.

Well, it wasn't as trashed as she had expected; nor did it stink awfully of alcohol. But Nova wasn't going to get her hopes up as she picked her way through the discorded rooms. It still reeked of misery with its unopened windows and thickly drawn curtains.

Musa over the years had gained a reputation to be rather feisty and outspoken about her insecurities. Because of that, people in close proximity to her had always expected her to be bitter after the leader of the second generation of the Company of Light had been…removed from her post. But since the Emperor's invasion, the number of public sightings of Musa getting herself drunk stupid had increased as her mood swings and general outlook of life spiralled down dramatically.

And quite naturally, the seething masses whispered about that rogue boyfriend of hers, who was nowhere to be found. Nova had always heard the usual gossip that when real problems hit he was known to make himself scarce.

And of all people, Nova knew with some certainty that the reality wasn't like that.

If the carnage that had been wrought on Melody was as bad as people muttered it was, chances were that Riven was dead by now. Out of some foolish sense of modesty he'd avoided his due promotions, and even Nova with literally no military experience knew that regular soldiers were just cannon fodder in wartime.

"Musa?" she inquired rather timidly, incredibly conscious that her voice hardly matched the sharpness of her mind.

It was probably better that way.

Nova's face twitched as she spied the spent guardian fairy busying herself with what appeared to be packing. She had expected to see Musa quite drunk or at least experiencing a hangover. She opened her mouth to speak…

"I'm leaving for Melody." she muttered without as much as a greeting, snapping the backpack together. "Don't try to stop me. I'm the Guardian Fairy of Melody and–"

"Technically speaking you're the…uh…" Nova's voice trailed off as Musa closed in on her.

"Faragonda sent you to get me didn't she?"

"Uh…obviously…"

"She can go fuck herself along with every paltry so-called government body. I'm sick of all of this shit. We're all just playing sitting ducks while millions more die and get enslaved as they play their war games. I'm actually going to do my job and save people! If me and the girls had just done that from day one, none of this would have happened!"

Nova's face became riddled with confusion as the guardian fairy strode past her and out the front door. Her half-thought-out answers were incredibly inconsistent. Did Musa seriously just think she could just do anything after everything that had happened?

At least she could score imaginary points for trying to convince her otherwise. She chased after the guardian fairy.

"M-Musa? How about we calm down and…uh…" the angry fairy turned around and really glared at her.

"Wasn't Stella your friend? Don't you want her death to be AVENGED?!" she screamed somewhat irrationally.

"Musa?"

Nova hadn't really had time to wince at Musa's slobbering agitation before the two girls turned and saw Faragonda with a contingent of soldiers.

"Well done Nova." the old woman said stepping forward. "I'll speak to you about your next assignments back at Alfea."

_"But…I haven't really done anything extraordinary."_ she thought jadedly as she watched Faragonda approach Musa. Nova looked about her at the soldiers and some pockets of civilians. Of course, a show of order.

"You brought a platoon just to stop me? Normally I'd be flattered, but it's hardly surprising." Musa spat derisively.

"Musa." the general got to the point "I cannot allow you to go to Melody. I'm afraid that your planet is beyond lost, trying to take action at this time will achieve little. And that is not all."

"Really? What could be possibly more worse than stealing an entire military fleet for Magix's defence, at the cost of abandoning the entire population of my home world that could barely defend themselves?" Musa sneered mockingly, pacing around Faragonda, like a wounded beast.

"Musa." the old woman sighed, touching her glasses. "From some intel we have managed to decode, the Emperor is starting to systematically destroy the nobility and higher authorities of Melody. There is small chance he is intent on exterminating the rest of your people. We haven't been able to contact any members of the immediate royal family, so you could…" Faragonda hesitated, but relenting against her prudence continued "You may be the only potential heir remaining to Melody's throne, even as your father renounced his aristocratic heritage. And being a guardian fairy, your position is further compromised."

"Oh please, stop trying to make me so important. It doesn't matter with all the millions of lives being ruined!" the guardian fairy hissed.

"I expected as much from you. Musa, unfortunately, I will have to place you under house arrest. You are too valuable to the future freedom of us all to risk your life with such fruitless misadventures." Faragonda motioned to the soldiers behind her, who began moving forward.

"You really think you can stop me with such weaklings?!" Musa began to start her transformation, but with a flick of her fingers, Faragonda cast a spell on her, and as she did so, two of the soldiers leapt and restrained her. At first, whatever the general had done appeared to fail, as Musa completed her transformation.

"HAH! You really think you can just bind my power! I'm stronger than you will ever be!" Musa screeched, unleashing a large vortex of sound. Initially some of the watching civilians began to run for cover but suddenly the vortex shrank back, enveloping and exploding around the user, who fell limp to the ground.

"I wasn't trying to bind your power." Faragonda stated as the soldiers pulled Musa up and held her tightly. "It's a reflection-damage spell. Every time you use your power it will reflect back on you. And until you see reason again, I will not remove it."

"Coward!" Musa spat huffing with hurt. "Is this how you protect people?! By oppressing them?!"

"No, this is preserving order and authority, which in turn protects those under its care. Order needs to be maintained. Without it, society ceases to have meaning. But don't let me bore you with things you clearly disrespect." Faragonda sighed.

"General!" a young recruit ran forward. "We've just received just some new intel on–"

"Give your report back at Alfea in my office, soldier."

"But general, it's about the false saviour! She–"

"PRIVATE!" Faragonda roared, internally face-palming herself. The discipline and discretion needed by the supposed army underneath her command was absolutely appalling.

"What do you mean false saviour? WHERE IS SHE?! TELL ME!" Musa screamed, struggling.

"W-well." the naïve youth looked about, uncertain what to do, but continued to blabber. "Apparently she's co-ordinating the genocide of Melody's royal–"

"That's it! I WILL KILL HER!" Musa screeched.

"NO! I forbid you to cross paths with her Musa!" Faragonda moved in.

"You can't be serious, that's it isn't it?! You're not letting me go back to Melody because of some order bullshit. It's because SHE'S there isn't it?!"

Faragonda exhaled angrily, observing the tense stares of all the onlookers, this was not going well. "Musa, you must…"

"NO! She's not getting away with all of this killing! She has to pay! I can't believe you're letting Stella's murderer just run free!"

"I…I know it's difficult to accept losses Musa, but you can't give into anger. I know our intel surrounding the sad circumstance remains quite vague, but from what we understand, Stella committed suicide." Faragonda glazed over the more complicated truth somewhat hurriedly, it wasn't as though Musa would believe her even if she tried. "For that reason you can't blame B–"

"SHE'S STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR IT!" the music fairy roared. "AND NOW GALATEA AND MY FATHER ARE DEAD AT HER HANDS!"

"Musa. Both of their deaths are unconfirmed. Now is not the time to–"

"AND WHEN WILL IT BE THE TIME?! HOW MANY MORE LIVES ARE GOING TO BE RUINED BECAUSE OF YOUR WEAKNESS?!"

Nova looked about her and observed the confusion, agreement and denial pasted all over the soldier's faces. She also carefully noted Faragonda's exasperation. She could guess if the seasoned old woman could help herself, she probably would have stopped trying to connect with the troubled guardian fairy ages ago.

"She's not a guardian fairy anymore Musa. She has become something else entirely. Until we know more about her current skill pool, I will not risk you going against her in hopeless battle." Faragonda continued, ignoring Musa's emotionally-blind ranting. She tried to place a reassuring hand, but the guardian fairy slapped it away.

"Don't try and mentor me! I'm not under your control, or anyone else's!"

"Musa…"

"Just watch me you old fool!" the fairy muttered shoving the guards' hands off, and walked in the direction of Alfea. The soldiers followed closely behind, but she couldn't care less. She knew where Faragonda intended to keep her, and she'd play along for now. But as soon as the opportunity arose, she _would _take matters into her own hands.

In spite of herself, Nova was seriously beginning to question if it was worth resisting the Emperor to this point.

* * *

**_Author's notes:_**_ Sorry this was so long, but no way am I breaking it into separate chapters. This time it wasn't so much as experimenting with writing style but rather with characters. I decided to focus on exploring Krystal, Nova, Flora and Musa, as well as Faragonda, Hagen and Griffin. One of the other aims of this short-story is also to give an outside view of the actual events and try to make the scope of the world of my story larger. I also tried to keep my characters…well in character as much as possible but under difficult circumstances. Sorry for the very serious overtones, but as you might expect, this isn't exactly supposed to be a happy story. _

_That isn't to say I can't write more light-hearted things…yet, but at the moment I'm on a bit of a moralistic streak and tragedy is one of my favourite genres…_

**_Further notes: A "cheat" summary if you are somewhat confused with the plot (as well as a "spoiler" note at the end of this summary):_**_ In just a bleak four years of violent and hopeless war, Magix is the last principal realm free from the Emperor's influence, and its government is heaving under the strain of thousands of refugees fleeing his invasion. And why the Emperor does not attempt to invade the realm has also given rise to widespread paranoia. The kingdom of Lynphea and its protectorate territories, (in the wake of the destruction of most of the principal realms: Solaria, Eraklyon, Andros and Domino), is the first realm to peacefully surrender without entering actual war. In response, the Emperor has permitted the current royal family to retain its ruling status and instates them as wardens. Regardless of this gesture, the Lynpheans still try to maintain ties with places such as Magix, but the arrangement is becoming dire. Their choice to surrender is very unpopular and open discrimination against Lynpheans runs rampant, rising to new heights with the attempted assassinations of the heirs of Lynphea. Of the five potential heirs, only Crown Princess Krystal is able to survive through the efforts of Lynphea's Guardian Fairy and newly knighted Lady Protectress, Flora of the 5__th__ Moon of Marigold. Flora has angered many resisting peoples further by her decision to abandon protecting the entire Magical Dimension, and instead serve Lynphea alone. In comparison, the kingdom of Melody, for attempting to backstab the Emperor's forces under the guise of peaceful surrender, is in the process of being annihilated. With the main members of the chief royal house dead, all the remaining forces of Melody retreat to Magix successfully, but at the cost of leaving many civilians behind. This news angers the Guardian Fairy Musa, who had been forced to stay in Magix on royal orders. When she tries to teleport to her home planet, she is captured by Faragonda and placed under house arrest. It is revealed that the Emperor has given the order for the complete extermination of the nobility of Melody in response to their treachery. Despite her father renouncing his royal blood, the direness of the situation has propelled Musa to becoming a potential heir to the throne of Melody. While unsatisfied with the reasons, it is unwittingly revealed that the operation for the genocide of Melody's nobility is to be presided over by the red-haired girl. Faragonda forbids Musa to attempt to cross paths with her._

_If you also haven't picked it up, Krystal hasn't met Bloom in this story. My story is basically an alternate version of what happened if Oritel and Marion had rejected Bloom at the end of the first Winx Club movie. It goes without saying that seasons 4, 5 and anything else happened after that film occurred differently. So coupled with the time of Bloom's banishment and the length of the war at this point in the story, a total of 9 years have passed._


	3. Congruence

**~ Congruence ~**

**Thanks once again to anybody who's interested in my story so far; here's something that's hopefully less dense than my last one-shot "Expectations". Time-wise, this jumps around a lot in regards to when "Ember Light" occurs. **

* * *

Finally, an opportunity had been found, after years of spirited grieving.

Beyond the hateful snide, there were other whispers of the girl. Murmurs loosed carelessly for the sake of gossip.

But they had far greater meaning to that one aching soul.

For the girl's lonely wildness was forever trapped in her mind's eye.

But she, the spirited woman, could not bring herself to call the girl's name. How could she?

The time to reconcile their lost time was long gone.

And yet against all of the impossibilities, she had to try.

It was thus that the summary of her contradicting sense of duty, hypocrisy, love and hatred was carried in that singular request.

It remained forever uncertain if the girl would hear it.

And if _she_ could really do it.

"Please, let me take them."

* * *

**Elsewhere…**

He drove his…fingers…talons…fingers…into the floor. Even with blurred sight, he could see they bled. If they could still bleed, he was not truly mad.

He was still mad.

The door gnashed open with the screaming and beating of the outside. He ignored it, but as the harsh light continued to burn him, he could not help but roll over and see...

Recognizing the unwanted visitor he squeaked in horror, clambering to the corner. The robed one took a seat.

"The boy from Zenith, at last I find you."

"No…you…t-the…the…stranger." he moaned. "W-why…how?"

"Who else would wear their sagging flesh like a lost child? Though to your credit, ascertaining your location did prove…trying." the figure let the slavering failure writhe and sob. "Worlds ripped apart, millions of lives lost, and here you are content to waste away in this safety."

"F-forgive me…it's…it's not our fault…my fault." he whimpered.

"Not _your_ fault?" the stranger chuckled harshly. "Tell me Timmy, how is it that the fall of the Magical Dimension wasn't _your _fault?"

He bit what remained of his fingernails jaggedly.

"I-it was the king. The king of Domino…and his queen. They…they...if…they hadn't done what they did, then…none of this would have been necessary…"

* * *

How did she know? It hadn't taken too much to guess.

Yet there were too many things that suggested otherwise.

Was she merely being allowed to reach the girl on the Emperor's graces? His power reached long and far, obscuring her spirited sight in ways she could not really understand. For her people remained uncomforted by her guidance or presence.

So much was uncertain. And the girl was too.

The girl had turned feral with the mounting bitter wild.

And yet the spirited woman did not want to grieve the loss of what the girl once was.

Because defying everything, she still believed.

She had nothing else.

* * *

**Ten years ago...**

"No."

The spirited nymph wavered between them. She wanted to deny it, but she sensed their dark distresses all too well.

"No?"

"No." the king of Domino repeated flatly.

"Father…I…I'm not sure I understand what you mean." Daphne inquired carefully. She turned to the other parent, hoping that it was only the temporary disbelief of lost years that she saw in his gaze. Hoping that her rising fears would be dispelled by her mother's wisdom.

Only she found no such comfort. Both had mistrust set in their eyes. Cold and unforgiving.

"She...she died." her mother said at last. "Baltor...the Ancestral Witches...they..."

"They chased us across the realms, yes. But when they thought they had ensnared both of us, I sped Bloom to the safety of a distant world. So even as I fell, their victory was hollow."

"You gave your life for...her?" the queen said lowly, almost hissing.

Daphne floated erectly "And I would do it again."

"Don't say that!" the queen snapped. "I never wanted you to come to such harm! Look...look what's happened to you because of it!"

"Mother, what has happened to me is indeed unfortunate." she consented. "But it has not been in vain. I have been able to guide Bloom over the years to finally–"

"How are we not to know that she may have been responsible for simulating our kingdom's demise?" the queen pressed.

The king of Domino tightened his fingers around his retrieved sword.

Daphne couldn't believe the rage she saw in both of her parents. With a fiery outburst, she put herself in front of Bloom defensively. She couldn't believe they were prepared to attack their own child.

"Mother! How could you forget she was barely newborn when the Ancestral Witches attacked! She...she..."

"The only child I gave birth after you...died! I mourned her loss for who knows how long in the darkness!" the queen cried angrily. "Don't...don't you dare tell me that this woman...just because she looks akin to us..."

"MOTHER! SHE JUST FREED YOU AND OUR KINGDOM!"

"That she may." her father said finally, bringing his emotional wife closer to him. "But she is a stranger to us...Daphne...and that is far as our hospitality extends. By her design or not, you are dead because of...her."

Before the nymph could loosen another word, the royal couple strode away, unable to tolerate the reality. The surrounding crowds murmured.

Worriedly she came closer to her sibling. Bloom's hand was still raised a little, as if still hoping to find a way...

All too soon it retracted back.

"Don't…don't worry little sister. I'm certain that our parents are just…" her voice trailed off as she turned back to their mother and father, the givers of their flesh and blood, disregard them both. The nymph couldn't help but angrily wonder what closure they expected to find in the halls of the formerly ruined palace.

"Daphne...it's...it's...alright." the fairy whispered, managing a cracked smile. "I'm sure seeing me as I now am...must...be..."

She was still trying to understand, even as doubt began to be sown. The elder could see it; she had given a fragment of her _own living soul_ to safeguard her younger sibling.

But that bond was made with love and hope, and with other means. Her sister's rising grief could not hope to maintain it. Daphne could not soothe that pain in the way she knew she should. Their magic would not allow it.

Desperately Daphne turned her friends, her lover, all her companions.

Not too long ago they had charged into Obsidian, plunging head-first into evil that was far greater than themselves. Ready to follow her sister without a moment's hesitation.

It had only taken so little for them to become afraid to approach her.

* * *

The bodiless nymph knew they must have tried to contact her. She had ignored them purposefully. And she did not regret it.

They had gone to the very trouble of binding her spirit, shattering all her mirrors to the outside world. Their only explanation being that her feelings impaired her judgement.

Painfully she overcame their fetters and fled to darker waters. Loathing them in her isolation, mourning her inability to follow the one she failed to save.

It's always been a simple thing for spirits to keep musing over the same feelings eternally.

Then she could stop.

And that was how she knew something was amiss.

She had found the girl on a world damned long before the rest of hell broke loose.

Often the girl passed through the moor, but never when she expected it. She found herself only able to speak to her sparingly. The girl's silence was indomitable, and returned no such favours.

And where would she go? Why could she not follow?

Why would she never know?

* * *

**Not too long ago…**

"I'm sorry." Marion said hoarsely. "I..."

The girl briskly helped the woman to loosen what remained of her dress.

She glanced behind; still holding the garment close, but the girl's back was already to her. She would not see the woman naked.

Almost reluctantly, she let all of the clothing go.

She limped towards the shower tap in the corner of the choked room. Still could never stop her shocked gasping when the water rushed down. It always felt so alien to her flesh.

In the woman's eyes, her skin had become crackled like dried serpent's skin. And the imprints of the shackles were too familiar. Though, the graze that ran down her limb was finally closing, but it remained tender. It was going to leave an ugly scar.

The days had turned into more days. Tracking the passage of time was even more irrelevant than before. Those desires to return to the outside world she must have had, were too foreign now. Like the man that shared the cell with her.

The woman turned around, pressing against the wall as she looked for the girl. Letting the water run down her. It would rush down her regardless.

The girl's cold gentility clung on the woman's soul. It had left her induced in a constant state of confusion and fear...and something else. It made her want to try...

"Do…do you really hate us?"

The girl stayed in the arch of the door-less entrance, quietly busying herself. The woman could only tell she was there from the way her shadow was cast by the light bulb.

"Please. Just say something. Anything."

She simply carried on; picking up the woman's frayed garments without as much as an upward glance.

"I don't care what it is. Just...please...speak to me."

As always, when she had to look at the woman, it was with that look. Her piercing blue eyes so empty and full of nothing recognizable.

"Please..." the woman still called, even as the girl left to do what tasks the situation demanded of her.

And still she couldn't leave. She couldn't want to leave anymore.

The woman bent to her knees underneath the shower and wept.

The girl had wrecked her with longing.

* * *

Forgiveness?

It was a bit late for that. Forever late for it. She still was content for them to rot.

And yet she strove to remain above their lowly misgivings.

That was why they had to be saved.

So that they all could be.

But the girl was not paying heed.

And the spirited woman began to grow afraid.

Maybe the girl wanted to believe they were all damned.

* * *

**Back at elsewhere…**

"I DON'T KNOW…I DON'T KNOW…I don't know…what...we...it was s-supposed to be..."

"Insurance?" the stranger completed the sentence. "A precaution? A contingency plan?"

"If...if you know this much...why are you doing this to me?" he whimpered, tearing at the fragments of his hair. "What...what else can I say? You know what happened!"

Accusingly, reproachfully, condemningly...the visitor said nothing.

"It's...it's not my fault! Stop making it sound like it is!" he shrieked desperately. "It wasn't...it wasn't my decision! They wanted it! All those kings and queens agreed on it...they...they started it..."

"But you pressed that button."

"I...I didn't want to."

"But you still pressed it. Because you did want it, Timmy."

"No...stop it...please...stop!" he clutched his ears screaming, curled and shuddering.

"You found it so fascinating." the visitor rose. "You wanted to be part of it. Every time you ran away, exhausted with your own frailty, you still dreamed of it." something black started clawing across the floor from underneath the foundations of stranger's robes.

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"You wanted to become stronger. To become us." the stranger cackled.

* * *

The girl glanced at the puddle her foot had landed in. The only place where water bared its lack of life…

Far too obvious that what she had tracked would have retreated here. The numbers of its hosts diminished. It had given her enough trouble.

She bent down and loosened several of the panels at the base of the entrance. Mechanisms clocked to awakening with her tampering, and the colossal gates retracted.

The girl emerged from the liquefied din and into the dry silence. Expectantly, the entrance resealed itself and the light slowly dimmed, threatening to be lost forever.

"Why have you come?" a question emanated from the deep. "We embrace you. We desire no quarrel."

The girl undid her cloak. She threw a sharp object at a shard that funnelled from ceiling like a chandelier. It sparked a faint blue hum, providing enough brightness to see the task through.

"Fool!" a reverberation of sickly energy shuddered through the walls, flinging the girl backwards. "Your violent intents are useless against us!"

Struggling, she was forced downwards to the floor, which cracked about her under the intensifying pressure. "For we are of your flesh."

Blood dribbled from her mouth and nostrils. "Cease this denial! We spoke to you of ruin…of the nature of creation…of extinction...of us."

She gritted her teeth, forcing herself over, reaching for the fallen weapon.

"You were beholden to our truth." the collective male voice became familiar, femininely familiar. "So why?"

She whipped around, but the obsidian blade stopped at the Solarian's throat.

"Why continue to deny the truth Bloom?" Stella acknowledged sadly.

She hesitated. She knew what it really was but she could not...

The girl started to pace backwards but the other grabbed her armed hand. She couldn't help but seethe in pain as the wrist bones dislocated and cracked. The dagger clanged down again as she dropped to her knees.

The thing that wore _her_ visage locked her into its embrace, and clasped her undefiled free hand.

"We suppose if you cannot save others, then you cannot save yourself. You will speak to us at long last…Bloom."

There was a fleshy thunk. The girl defied the natural restrictions of her injury, having seized the dagger and stabbed from behind.

"Why…Bloom?" the thing uttered a final accusation as a black substance spewed forth. And draining, it reverted to its patch-worked form.

* * *

Every early dawn to late dusk she waited. And prayed. And hoped.

Then there was no choice but to return to the deep waters.

The sucked air blew the day into long night, and the girl was not seen on the thawing moors of Zenith again.

* * *

**_Author's Notes: _**_With this one-shot I am trying to convey a sense of continuity with a variety of characters and settings. Also trying to make my writing hold interesting content with as few words as possible, but also maintaining the poetic (probably not poetic but I like to think so) descriptions and mannerisms I'm rather fond of using._

**_Further Notes: (a "cheat" summary of the main storyline of the one-shot, excludes flashbacks and other sections) _**_The girl has been tracking down "something of interest" to the Emperor on a ruined planet for several months. (Note that this planet had been ruined long before the Emperor's forces invaded the Magical Dimension). During this time, she is at long last approached by the spirit of her sister, Daphne. For several years, Daphne has been in self-imposed isolation, after being forcibly barred in every way from protecting her sibling from her unjust fate. At this point, many across the Magical Dimension have believed she at last faded from the mortal plane entirely. This was not helped by how she refused to interact or reconcile with her parents and any higher forces that tried to reason with her. Naturally, this changed with the Emperor's invasion, which upset the order of the Magical Dimension. Daphne was significantly disheartened when she learned that her sister had joined the Emperor's cause, though she could understand it. She also becomes frustrated as she finds she cannot appear or come near her sister at will, or her relatives. Daphne deduces that somehow her sister's close proximity to the Emperor is responsible for this, and is still uncertain how she is able to finally meet her sister again at the ruined planet. And she knows that as a spirit in light of the last events, what had happened was enough to stop her from having worldly concerns; yet Daphne still begs that her sibling let their parents go from their imprisonment. Daphne hasn't really forgiven her parents for what they have done, but somehow she knows that they must be saved yet again. Daphne doesn't really know how she will look after her parents, as she is still a bodiless nymph, but she holds to the hope that somehow her family can still be reunited happily. Daphne is also only able to meet her sister whenever she is wandering the moors of the ruined planet and nowhere else, adding to further confusion. But whenever she meets the girl during those months, she always asks that she release her parents. However, the girl stops coming to the moors, her unknown task completed, and it appears that Daphne's pleas to save whatever is left of their parents goes unheard._


	4. Papered Words: 1

**~Papered Words: 1~**

**It's quite open when you think this one-shot is taking place in the "Ember Light" timeline. Consider this a kind of character study. Early "spoiler": this is a collection of letters. But to whom and from whom? Should be rather obvious.**

* * *

To whom it may concern,

I honestly never thought that I would find it so difficult to address you properly. But it's not as if you could actually read this. Although a part of me is actually kind of hopes you get this, and then the rest of me is not really. There's also this bigger part of me that's certain I'm breaking several different laws by doing this but...

You probably know who you are by now anyway. Right? So no need for all of that.

In case you're wondering, this is ancient magika paper I'm using. Remember how I told you once in the old stories, lovers, close friends and siblings used to use this for discreet correspondence. They'd also enchant it with an essence of the chosen person so that it gets to them only. But the messages also have to be written with this particular ink, and writing things by hand isn't the same as texting.

I thought about making drafts, but then they'd always be this nosy person who would find them, trust me I've talked to Nova and all these people seem to think I'm totally not over you. And apparently it's really bad if you use too much magika paper. I've never been great with fancy words, even if I am a princess. But I think you already knew that. You always seemed to see that weakness in me.

But it's not like I'm actually writing to you. I'm just pretending to write to you because...there's this part of me that feels that I have an obligation to do so.

I'll have you know I've been trying to do the right thing and try really hard to forget you. But I can't. And every other day I can't stop from thinking about what's happened to you after these three years. Even if you did deserve your punishment.

Since you've gone, everyone that you drew together has gone on their separate ways. I barely talk to them, and I have no obligation to do so. Although Brandon always makes time to see me, even if my father isn't thrilled about the fact I'm engaged to a mere squire from Eraklyon. Though I'm pretty sure there's also another reason for his discontent, which I completely understand.

Speaking of which, did I mention that Sky has become very moody ever since you did what you did? You ruined everyone's happiness with your crimes. Including my own. Not to mention it's socially taboo for anyone of us to speak to one another, and of course mention your name, because even after you're gone you're tormenting us all. This is why I don't really try to speak to them.

You don't know how everyone is trying to bring themselves to move on after what you did. You left this big hole in the universe that just can't be fixed.

I suppose I should just include these following generic questions for the sake of it:

How are you? What are you doing now? Maybe you're in a happier place, even if you don't really deserve it...I think.

But at least I can pretend that someone will read this. Right? I'm sure you'd understand. Maybe. Actually, you wouldn't. But that doesn't matter I guess.

From your formerly best friend,

Her Royal Highness of Solaria,

Crown Princess Stella.

* * *

To the person called Bloom,

I stopped writing because I thought not only I had done something stupid and I'd wasted all that magika paper and ink. But then I was reading this magazine where I had gotten the idea to write to you, and apparently if the magika paper doesn't come back, it means the person at the other end received it.

Which probably means that you did get my last letter, and you've deliberately chosen not to write back to me...which is understandable because what could you say that...oh, and you probably don't have an essence of me with you so you couldn't even if you wanted to.

I also guess that kind of means that I did want to reach you somehow.

Although I still don't know if it's actually you that I'm writing to.

Did I ever know you?

I mean, yes it's so long ago when we first met and did things together, but...I told you things. You told me things. Was it really all lies?

Maybe if I never met you then none of this would have happened. Did you ever think about that?

I hate you.

* * *

You're actually alive. Although I didn't hear it from you. I saw it on the battle footage. I'm still not sure how we all managed to see it.

So you managed to snag a guy who calls himself the Emperor.

I thought he was just another darkness-obsessed villain who had a bone to pick with everyone for no particular reason. When he made that declaration of war to the entire Magical Dimension, no one took him seriously. No one had even heard of him.

Then he started mowing down all those smaller realms with that...army. He'd taken over nearly a quarter of the Magical Dimension in a matter of days. Killing and burning things. This was so different from the villains we used to fight together...

Then he attacked Domino. And that's when we all saw you. We'd heard of you already. This warrior clad entirely in black that appeared to command the Emperor's forces in battle. And then you took your helm off...

You didn't look like the person I remembered. We only knew that you had to be Bloom because you were able to override the defence protocols of Domino's palace. Only members of Domino's royal family are supposed to do that...

But then that ability should have been taken away from you...how?

Everyone's saying you killed your parents. But for some reason I can't believe them. Even now, it sounds so unlike you. But then I don't think I ever knew you so I don't know what to expect anymore.

I mean, you managed to snag some power-obsessed maniac and gain a huge army in your exile. At the edge of creation where nothing else is supposed to exist? How is that even possible?

I guess...you've been going through your revenge plans.

And you'll be coming for the rest of us.

I think I'm going to stop writing to you now.

But I'll have you know the rest of us won't be going down so easily!

* * *

I think I was wrong about you. I don't know. I don't understand you at all. I've said that already I'm sure, but I really don't understand you now.

Your Emperor attacked Andros and Eraklyon simultaneously. And against all odds he's winning, but really he can't do anything but win, with that ridiculously huge army of his.

I'm not going to go into it but...you're _his_ servant. Up until this point everyone thought he was the one under your thumb...

They said you were on Andros and you attacked Aisha and then the Emperor came out of nowhere and I...

How did that happen? How can you let anyone command you like that?

I couldn't help myself.

I told Brandon about it, that I'm writing these letters, to no one, since I don't get any replies.

And he kept on asking me why...I said I didn't know, I felt like I had to. He didn't know what to say.

He said once they repelled your Emperor's forces in Eraklyon, he'd come back and talk to me about writing letters to you. I said don't tell anybody but he didn't say anything.

I thought we were going to fight. But I'm still supposed to remain on Solaria to try and coordinate the relief effort.

What did you do to Aisha in the end?

And don't you dare kill Brandon. I swear if you kill him...

But I guess it's kind of pointless writing this to you.

* * *

I saw you finally, on Eraklyon.

I don't know if you saw me. You were still wearing that horrible black suit of armour. Your helmet was down again.

I thought we would fight.

But you kept on moving away from me and fought other battles. And you didn't say anything. Not a single word.

What happened to you Bloom?

* * *

To Bloom,

I've had a lot of time to think about this one. I hope you appreciate it.

First of all, I am going to apologise for all of my earlier letters. They weren't letters at all. I wasn't really writing to a person, I was writing to myself. I was just projecting all of my doubts, fears and foolishness onto somebody who can't refute them back. Or you're choosing not to respond because you know better.

I am also sorry that I was trying to be "politically correct" to myself and you had to read it. I was so scared of what people thought of me, and what they would do to me if I suggested anything to the contrary. Except they're not here right now, they were never here, and none of them are going to be able to read these things. It's just you and me.

I'm just going to tell it to you straight. We just didn't want to see past the lies and our own insecurities, because we were too comfortable about ourselves. You were expendable.

And we forgot you were actually a friend once to us. My friend.

No one really asked you about how you felt about all of it. About being condemned and sent to die. When the big authorities declared you a great deceiver, we all just ran away and that was that. And this Emperor found you, so you probably had no choice but to follow him. Because he saved you from death. Is that right?

The royal families are always fighting amongst themselves for all sorts of reasons anyway. Territory, money, control. We make friends and foes, and declare public enemies to consolidate our power. Now there just happens to be a bigger player we've been ignoring forever and now he's finally decided to start playing.

The Emperor has never announced he wanted to convert us to worship evil or any silly rubbish like that. He's a just conqueror, isn't he? Wasn't it a saying you told me once from Earth. All's fair in love and war?

I really can't be mad at you for what's happening. You're probably just doing what you're told.

Things for the rest of us, as I'm sure you understand, haven't exactly been bright. I haven't heard from Brandon again. Eraklyon's gone dark. And the girls haven't really been very cooperative. Maybe I should tell you about them more and what they've done, but the thing is, I don't think any of them worry about you the way I do now. So they're no longer important.

The thing is I think I'm going to die soon. Not to make you worry but I haven't been feeling well. Particularly after that last fight.

I don't know if I can get better. But if I am dying, well, I'd like to leave on good terms. Make my peace with you.

I wish that you would answer me before I did go. Even if I don't deserve it.

Yours faithfully,

Stella.

* * *

I had this beautiful dream.

I was still in my bedroom, but everything was so dark. And it was so wonderful.

Every waking moment, morning right to evening, I'm surrounded with all of these yammering people with their endless chatter that gives me these horrible headaches. I'm pretty sure they're all talking about what's wrong with me. Except I don't know what's wrong with me and I really don't care anymore. They all make me so tired.

And I knew I was dreaming because it was so dark with nobody, and I couldn't hear anything. And I never wake up during the night. Or maybe I do, and I don't remember it but it doesn't matter. I hate the dark, especially when I'm alone. I get scared that it means that I'll fade away. But this time, the dark wasn't frightening at all. I almost felt as if I was floating.

But I could still feel my horrible fever even in my dream. Even as I was burning up so much, I felt like I couldn't pull my bed-sheets off because I could freeze to death if I tried.

Then I saw the doors of my balcony open soundlessly, and I was afraid of the cold air that would blow in. But the air that rushed in didn't feel like anything. It wasn't hot or cold, it was just...wind.

I'm not really sure how it happened, it felt like my vision blurred in and out, but this woman came in. She was dressed entirely in black. And I hate people who wear black, but it looked so smooth and unearthly. And she had this brazen red hair tied up in a bun and stern blue eyes. She made me think of you, but she wasn't you. She looked so serene and sad. I've never seen you look that way.

She stayed by my side, and then she took my hand. Her hand was so weathered, and it seriously needed some moisturiser, but it was such a kind and loving hand. And I almost felt like I could recognize its hold if she would only just hold me...

But the next thing I know, the morning's beaming right through. Except for the first time in a long time, the morning was one of the best mornings I had woken up to.

It wasn't a dream. Was it Bloom?

* * *

Dear Bloom,

The doctors couldn't believe I'd recovered so quickly. They were saying things like "it is as if someone cured her overnight". I was so happy for some reason whenever they said that.

Also, mom came back to the palace. I thought she and dad were going to fight it out, but apparently they're willing to put behind their differences because of the invasion of with the Emperor.

They think he's probably going to attack Solaria next. Does that mean you're going to lead the attack? Are you like the Emperor's special general or something?

I don't know. I feel as if I should be more serious about this war. But it seems so unimportant right now.

Besides, this war isn't really about either of us.

I can't stop thinking about you. I wish I could just see you again. I wish I we could talk together again. I wish it so much.

Yours faithfully,

Stella.

* * *

Dear Bloom,

I'd forgotten you were the enemy. Or part of the enemy. It's not like I forgot, I just stopped thinking about you that way.

You're not my enemy. You just happened to be on the other side, driven there for...completely valid reasons. And we're on opposite sides because of forces and things too far out of our control. It's the truth.

And you always are on the winning side. Even when I'm not.

It was strange to hear dad finally admit that we were at war, because by all accounts it was already over. Your home planet Domino, Eraklyon and Andros had already fallen, and now Solaria had too. Those were all of the principal realms, and if they fell, none of the other kingdoms stood a chance. Melody and Lynphea don't have armies like ours, so I doubt they'd try to take the Emperor head-on.

So I thought that dad was disclosing to the court the final terms of surrender to the Emperor, it seemed like the right thing to do.

Except he wasn't. He was preparing the entire city for a siege and had given orders to seal off the capital. Even mom agreed. At first I didn't know what to think, but then dad announced that he was releasing all of the prisoners in the royal dungeon, even that horrible Countess Cassandra and her daughter Chimera.

How could he do that?! I'm so...how can he be so ridiculously blind? Does he really think they'll defend the realm and not betray us? Those two are good-for-nothing turncoats that have absolutely flippant loyalty and only care about themselves. As with all of those freed convicts. I tell you, at the opportunity they're all going to make a run for it, or join the other side.

How can my father be so stupid? There is no way we could outlast a siege against the forces of your Emperor. Especially with former criminals in the ranks!

It hasn't even been a few days, and that stupid Chimera completely got under my nails. She and started going on that I was such a failed Crown Princess because I...I hadn't defeated you yet.

And then everyone was looking at me, everyone. They made it my duty to kill you. And I tell you I put Chimera right in her place but I hate it.

I hate it. I hate it so much. All of those self-important people, including my parents, are always acting as if you kill one person then it resolves everything. You didn't start the war. You're just a servant of the person who did. What is killing you going to prove?

But am I betraying my people for telling you this? Do you show these letters to your leaders, to your Emperor?

I don't know. But I don't get that impression at all.

Somehow I just know you're reading them. And that's all that matters.

Yours faithfully,

Stella.

* * *

Bloom,

It's horrible. I'm pretty sure you knew that. But it's horrible.

I'd finally managed to sneak out of the palace to find some word of you, and I saw what this war really is. And I can't believe that this is what my father is willing to put our people through just to resist your Emperor.

I gave it right to him when the guards and that good-for-nothing Chimera dragged me back to the palace. He got quite angry with me for "stealing" into the military storage complex and dispensing free rations and medical aid, though I technically own it. And EVEN THEN he wouldn't believe me that none of the citizens were getting the amounts they needed just to survive. Most of them weren't even getting any food. And there were so many dead bodies in the streets. The dead bodies of people who had starved to death and there was nowhere to bury them!

All that talk of citizens caught in the crossfire has been grossly exaggerated. BUT THEY ALL JUST ACCEPTED IT! THEY DIDN'T CARE! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! We're bottled up in our pretty ass palace and everyone else can be sacrificed? It's not...it's not fair!

Then Chimera had the bright idea to tell the court I had clearly gone delirious with guilt over not trying to fight you, and that's when I really broke her. I hope I broke something, I think I broke her stupid nose. The guards dragged me to my chambers, but I told them they were all cowards! I hope that whatever else I said hurt too!

My parents were angry though. They both gave me a long lecture about it, but I didn't care. So I told them everything. I told them how wrong they were and we're all getting what we deserved, and you were probably innocent to begin with anyway and we were all cowards. My father stormed out after that, and mom just tried to tell me that the war is going to be over soon. She should know better than to lie to me now. I'm not a child anymore.

But it's clear you're not running this siege. You're probably off somewhere doing something important I guess. For a while now, I thought of blaming you for not being here. But with everything's that happening, maybe it's for the best. You're just a soldier in a bigger war. You can't be punished for just doing what you're told to do.

Yours faithfully,

Stella.

* * *

Dear Bloom,

They've locked me in my room for so long now. They've also taken away things they think I'll use to harm myself. But I don't care anymore. Though, I'm pretty sure I must look absolutely horrid, I don't think I've ever gone this long without makeup in my entire life. I'd never thought I'd see the day my personal grooming would become un-prioritised.

They tried to get me into the courtroom the other day; I just sat down on the floor and screamed at them. I screamed at all of them and they left me alone.

I can never turn a blind eye like they have. And now because of that they'll lock me away. As long as I'm alive, I don't think I have any further use to them than being just that.

They continue to spread lies about me, just to keep the morale up for the soldiers to endure more pointless suffering. And they expect me to be happy about all of this?

So I tell them I want to die.

I yell it at my parents who try to talk to me to make themselves feel better. I yell it at the servants who try to clean my room and feed me.

I want to die. I want to die for what I did to you. I want to die. I want to die. I want to die because I'm without you. I want to die because I don't have anybody.

Although, maybe I've overdone it, because now they have a guard who watches me every moment just to make sure I don't actually do anything. It's gotten to the point when I can only write this whenever I go to the toilet. Then that stopped working when they all started thinking I'll try to drown myself in the toilet bowl. Idiots. I might hate them all, and I do want to kill myself some days, but I'm not desperate in that kind of way. And I thought nothing could get worse than when they took the mirrors in my room out. Just because they thought I'd smash them and try to cut myself with the broken glass.

All that's left is to tie me down to my bed or something. I think they were going to, but even my mother wasn't willing to go that far, and she had a long argument with my father about that. Huh.

But don't worry, there's still moments when they don't really watch me so I can still write. Sorry it's taken so long.

Is this what it was like for you when they locked you in that horrible prison, months before they sent you away to die alone? I'm so sorry. It was probably even worse than what I'm going through right now.

Maybe if I had visited you then, maybe you'd do the same for me now? Looking back, especially now, I wish I wasn't such a coward.

Yours faithfully,

Stella.

P.S. Oh remember how I said that Countess Cassandra and Chimera were good-for-nothing turncoats? I managed to overhear that they tried making a run for it to escape the city, along with several other former criminals. And although no one has seen them again, I really do hope that your Emperor's forces gave the two of them a horrible death and shot them on sight or whatever. They deserve it. I know they were the ones lying so badly to the court about my poor people's suffering, so that they could help themselves to what remains of our medical and food supplies. But what's worse is that all those nobles and my parents were willing to let their lies go unpunished. And I'll probably be the only one to say this, but this awful war, we really did do it to ourselves.

P.P.S. I'm always daydreaming about seeing you again. I'd just hold you in my arms and never let you go and cry and ask you to forgive me for leaving you to suffer and die all on your own. I want to do that to you so badly.

* * *

Bloom,

What's left of my kingdom is collapsing, and all I can think about is if I will be able to see you again.

There were riots for the last few nights. Starving people were trying to break into the palace. The guards...they shot them on sight. And your Emperor's forces are just sitting outside of the city. And the fighting between us and your Emperor has become more evident. I think your compatriots are getting sick of prolonging the siege. It's almost been a year. And I'm sick of it too.

I also really noticed your Emperor's huge battleships the other day. They're always there but...I think they were trying to do a bombing run, I don't know. I don't think I've told you, but they can never seem to get close enough to take out large chunks of the city. The same goes for most of your heavy artillery. I'm not sure why. I didn't think we had anything that strong to resist the Emperor. Not after what I saw go down on Andros and Eraklyon.

Regardless, the casualties between both sides have been pretty bad.

Everyone's losing. I don't know who's at fault anymore. And I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter.

And I'm all alone. No one's paying much attention to me, now that everything's falling apart but I still can't leave. I'm so trapped.

And I can't use my powers. My parents put a clamp on it when they thought I was going to kill myself. But I don't want to find them and ask them to remove it. I think they are only going to care about what's happening for them at this point. Maybe I could find a way to break it but...

Magic doesn't solve everything. And I'm so tired of all of this.

I'm so scared. Writing to you helps me stop being scared. But I'm still scared because you're not here.

Why haven't you come again? Isn't destroying what's left of my kingdom somehow on your Emperor's priority list right now? What could you be doing that's more important than that?

I wish you were here.

Stella.

* * *

Dearest Bloom,

I want to see you. Whenever I feel that you are near, my heart is at peace. And everything makes sense again.

Everyone else we knew is dead or soon will be. And I'm sure if some of them are still alive, they won't want to see me anymore. Only you. I know you'd want to see me.

I'm so sorry but I can't do anything anymore. I can't do anything about everyone's suffering and it's driving me mad.

Please save me. Take me anywhere.

But hurry back to me. Hurry back to me. Please.

Come back to me in the darkest of night only don't leave me to dream, steal me away.

Stella.

* * *

_**Author Notes: **__As you can see I've chosen an epistolary format for this one-shot. I'm pretty sure I've broken some FanFiction rule somewhere, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Let me know what you think in a review! _

_These letters are written in a way I imagine that Stella would write them, sorry if you think they're of poor quality as a result of this, but I'm really trying to keep in character. This is somewhat unconventional story-telling, but this one-shot was also in part inspired by Alice Walker's "The Colour Purple", a novel that was entirely composed of letters. Also if the letters seem to be too incongruous, think about how and when Stella would get around to writing the letters, I don't think she'd write them every day. I thought about writing dates and things, but then I started thinking if the Magical Dimension uses a different calendar, and Solaria uses a different calendar and if this is in the future...so I dropped it._


End file.
